


Time Travel to Give Zuko a Hug

by preciousbunnynoiz



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Crack, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Crack, Friendly Kidnapping, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kidnapping, Time Shenanigans, Time Travel, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, it's a zuko fic afterall, zuko needs hugs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24538195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preciousbunnynoiz/pseuds/preciousbunnynoiz
Summary: Based on a tumblr post all of the Gaang travel back in time except for Zuko who doesn't understand why the Avatar he keeps trying to capture instead captures HIM for the purpose of giving him group hugs and telling him he's valid.Iroh is also very confused but appreciative of the whole thing
Relationships: The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 103
Kudos: 1846





	Time Travel to Give Zuko a Hug

**Author's Note:**

> Fic based on this post: https://pageofheartdj.tumblr.com/post/619754057073049600/ive-seen-fics-when-zuko-timetravels-to-the-past
> 
> It's just a bit of crack that makes me giggle so I wanted to write it

One moment Sokka was in Toph’s school shooting the shit which his closest friends and then there was a weird light and he was standing on a familiar iceberg. A much younger Katara holding a twelve year old Aang in her arms. 

For a moment the three of them were frozen in shock. 

“Okay did I drink cactus juice again?” Sokka asked as he looked down at his sixteen year old body. 

“Not that I’m aware of.” Katara said, helping Aang to his feet. 

“I think...I think maybe we went back in time.” Aang said looking at himself carefully, “Do you think I still have all my bending abilities?” 

“Only one way to find out.” Katara said flexing her hands, “let's get Appa out.” Aang grinned at her and they moved into their bending stance and pulled the ice away to reveal a sleepy Appa in the middle of the iceberg. 

They grinned at each other. 

“This will make taking down Ozai considerably easier.” Sokka pointed out as they walked towards the sleepy sky bison. 

They decided on the way back to the village that until they knew what exactly was going on they would keep Katara’s abilities and Aang’s on the down low. It would be too alarming for Gran Gran if Katara was suddenly a master after all. 

They were having fun hanging around the village and seeing everyone when, right on cue, a familiar ship crashed into the village, the gangplank dropping with a thunk. 

Sokka stood in front of it grinning. 

A figure they knew too well started walking down and Sokka threw up his arms in excitement before running forward.

“Zuko!” he exclaimed and deftly dodged around the weapons and fire that the banished prince threw at him to dart in for a hug. He had lots of practice doing that because Zuko was allergic to hugs as standard but that never stopped Sokka who had become something of an expert.

“Unhand me peasant!” Zuko said with a shove before shooting fire at Sokka who jumped backwards out of the way with a frown.

While Zuko had said that sort of jokingly before (you could tell when he was joking as he was really awkward about it) this didn’t feel like him joking. 

Sokka looked at him carefully and didn’t see any recognition in his friend’s face. 

“Give me the Avatar!” Zuko ordered as he held his hands up threateningly. Sokka however, stood up straight and held up a finger.

“Give me a minute.” Sokka said calmly before nipping back towards the village and grabbing Katara and Aang into a huddle. Behind him Zuko and Iroh shared confused looks. 

“Okay,” Sokka whispered to the other two, “I don’t think Zuko came back. He’s still Angry Ponytail Trauma Guy. It’s likely it only affected those of us who were in Toph’s school. That means us three, Toph and Suki.” 

“That means Zuko still thinks his dad’s treatment of him was okay.” Katara’s face was twisted into a scowl, “He’s going to try and turn us in!” 

“Maybe we can get him to realise how messed up the Fire Nation earlier if we try to be his friend!” Aang suggested. 

“Maybe....” Katara didn’t sound sure but both her and Aang looked at Sokka. 

“I think you should make the same offer you did last time Aang and when we come to get you we also grab Zuko. Maybe if he sees the full extent of the atrocity at the Southern Air Temple he’ll start to realise his nation is doing things wrong.” Sokka suggested. 

“I’m waiting!” Zuko shouted. 

“Don’t be so pushy!” Sokka shouted back before looking at the others again, “So are we good with my plan?”

“Sounds good.” Aang said and Katara nodded. The three of them backed and let Aang face Zuko.

“Hi!” he said brightly, “I’m the Avatar and I’d be happy to go with you as long as you leave this village alone.” 

“But you’re just a child.” Zuko scoffed.

“And you’re just a teenager! But I can prove it!” Aang did the airscooter trick and rode it in circles around Zuko and Iroh laughing the whole time.

Zuko grit his teeth in frustration.

“Fine. I will leave just-  _ stop that!” _

Aang came to a stop in front of him with a big grin on his face and consented to being tied up and hauled onto the ship.

“Bye!” he called back to the village who looked on in dismay except for Katara and Sokka who waved back enthusiastically. 

“Bye!” they called, “We’ll see you later! Bye Zuko! Be good!” 

Zuko glanced at them with a mix of outrage and just pure unadulterated bewilderment. He opened his mouth to say something but ended up snapping his mouth shut and just pushing Aang onto the ship as they boarded. 

Once on board Aang half listened to Zuko’s over dramatic speech but when he mentioned his father he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. 

“Why would you want the approval of someone who doesn’t value the life of his own son? He banished you! Sent you to chase after me despite the fact I haven’t been seen for 100 years. Why would you even want his approval?” 

Zuko stopped with his mouth open before he turned red with anger. 

“What the hell do you know about it! You grew up in a monastery! What do you know about fathers!” Aang expected that response and smiled sadly as he quietly burnt the ropes off his wrists. 

“That’s true, but I did have a father figure. Monk Gyatso! He was my guardian. The reason I ended up frozen in an iceberg for 100 years was because I was scared they were going to take me away from him. And besides that I know something else. I know that fathers aren’t supposed to hurt their children.” Aang explained as he shook the now broken ropes off and walked over to a frozen Zuko. 

“Haven’t you ever felt that your dad was wrong? That he was unnecessarily cruel?” Aang pressed. 

Likely no one had said it this plainly to Zuko. Iroh had always had to step around his nephew and his mood swings and self recrimination. Iroh was too close to the situation for Zuko to listen to him. But Aang right now was an outside figure and he wasn’t approaching Zuko threateningly or with pity but still the damaged teenager clearly didn’t know what to do as the young airbender wrapped him in a hug. 

There was a moment of shock as everyone tried to understand what was happening. 

“NOW AANG!” a voice called from above them and everyone looked up to see a flying bison just as Aang used airbending to shoot himself and Zuko up into the air. 

“What are you doing!” Zuko yelled.

“Taking you on a fieldtrip!” Aang dropped down as Appa dove underneath them to catch the pair in the saddle. 

“Unhand me this instance!” Zuko wanted to firebend but he didn’t want to hurt the bison. It hadn’t done anything wrong after all. 

“It’ll be fun!” Aang said brightly as Sokka leaned over the edge of the saddle as they flew away. 

“We’re just borrowing Zuko for a bit! We’ll be at Kyoshi island in a few weeks! Just don’t go onto the island until we get there okay! See you later!” he shouted as he waved at the ship, a few of the sailors waving back.

“What do you think you’re doing! I am your enemy!” Zuko shouted.

“Oh my god I forgot how dramatic you were.” Katara rolled her eyes from where she steered Appa.

“I’m not dramatic!” 

“Yeah sure you’re not Sparky.” Sokka snorted. 

Zuko crossed his arms and resigned himself to put up with this for the moment at least. He’d find a chance to capture the Avatar without hurting the bison. 

Sokka and Aang chose that moment to drape themselves over Zuko.

“Ahhhh firebender body heat!”

“I hate you all.”


End file.
